Happy New Year! I hope that you are doing well, I know it has been some time since I have posted anything. Life has been exceedingly difficult with much spiritual warfare that has kept me away from my keyboard to share the goodness of God. Unlike other posts, this one is going to start off a little bit rough but if you bear with me, I promise it will turn around. I don’t know what it is about New Year’s Eve, but I have never been overly excited about going out to celebrate the ending of the year and the beginning of a new one. I know metaphorically it is an opportunity for a clean slate or “do-over,” but I guess with all that our family has gone through this year, and the grim reality that the Omicron Variant has brought hospitalizations back to levels that we saw at the peak of Covid in 2020, I really have been struggling this year to be excited about flipping the calendar to 2022. I know I am killing the GOOD VIBES of NEW YEARS DAY, but I have always tried to be genuine in my struggles and the reality of spiritual warfare. Jesus said it Himself in John 10:10 (NASB1995) that:
“The thief [or devil,] comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Charles Stanley had this great life lesson on John 10:10…
“Do you know how Jesus gives us abundant life? He does so by giving us Himself! You could have all the money, relationships, wealth, and power, but you would still have a deep sense of emptiness because life isn’t found in these things. The only one who can truly satisfy you is Jesus Christ. To live the abundant Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life through us. His love motivates and empowers us, so we will obey Him out of joy and thankfulness.”
I so needed that reminder as the devil has been working me over BIG TIME, and my family, trying to STEAL our Joy, KILL our Peace and Destroy our Lives but as just you just read…“The only one who can truly satisfy you is Jesus Christ. To live the abundant Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life through us.” The trouble is when we focus on circumstances and not the One who can change them, we tend to spiral out of control, I know that is true for me…
Okay, I promised I would turn this around so…Switching gears back to last night, I would like to share how focusing on my Savior changed my sullen disposition but first let me set it up for you. This year we were blessed to have some extended family with us from South Carolina. In addition, my oldest daughter brought her boyfriend home from college to meet them in person since all we have been able to do these past two years was FaceTime video calls. Last night, the two of them were leading the family in an acoustic worship set singing about the goodness of God. My daughter encouraged us to reflect on the past year and how God has moved in our lives amidst the stress, hardships, and unprecedented change that we had experienced in 2021. By the end, the Holy Spirit gave my Word for 2022…
This year’s Word — “Renewed Thoughts & Attitudes” which came from two passage of scripture. If you are new to our site, each year I wait on the Holy Spirit to reveal a “WORD” or phrase for me to stand on for the upcoming year.
If you are interested, you can click on the link to check them out…
“Word for the New Year” Posts.
This first passage is from Romans 12:2 (NIV) which says:
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Many people question ‘What is God’s Will for their life?’ But don’t realize that they will never get there unless they first break the cycle of living according to the world’s standards. Continuing to immerse ourselves in the culture that is adversarial to the Kingdom of God will dampen our walk and slow our growth. I have this plaque on my wall that says
“Inhale Grace and Exhale Love.”
That however is difficult to do when you are consuming primarily on the 24/7 news cycle, Instagram / Twitter feeds and believing that what Hollywood tells you is the good life. When you do that it is more likely that you will…
“Inhale Pride and Exhale Indifference.”
As a nation, we are so Covid fatigued, so divided over the vaccine and masks, and quite honestly just plain hostile to anyone with a differing view than ours. Part of my tailspin into despondency is we as a people keep doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result which is the very definition of instantly! That is why I need a fresh wind, a renewed mind and attitude! Ephesians 4:21-24 (NLT) is the second passage that was my muse for my Word from the Lord for 2022:
“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”
The Christian walk is not easy. It is not a one and done, set it and forget it lifestyle. We don’t just pray a prayer and then cruise until we meet Jesus in Heaven; but rather we must “throw off our old sinful nature…let the Spirit renew our thoughts and attitudes,” and “put on our new nature, created to be like God!” God did His part by sending Jesus to die for us as payment for the sins of the world, past, present, and future forever and ever (See John 3:16). Now we must do our part and allow the Holy Spirit to work within our lives to become righteous and holy. It is now 2022, 22 years after I have given my heart to Jesus as Lord and Savior and yet at times, I feel like I still have so far to go in my pursuit to become more and more like Jesus. The Message translates Ephesians 4:23-24 this way which I so resonate with:
“And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.” Ephesians 4:23-24 (MSG)
That is my prayer for this new year to be the best possible representative of Jesus to those around me. I so desire for God to reproduce His Character in me and that 2022 would be an entirely new way of life, that no matter what I am experiencing in the natural, I would allow the Holy Spirit to renew my thoughts and attitudes and be transformed! I pray the same for you too!
★ ★ ★ DIG DEEPER ★ ★ ★
If you are interested here are the Past Words or phrases that I have received from the Lord and share:
- 2015 – “UNSTOPPABLE DETERMINATION FOR GOD’S HOLINESS”
- 2016 – “LIVING OUT A LASTING LEGACY”
- 2017 – “CHOOSE TO PURSUE”
- 2018 – “ROOTED”
- 2019 – “TRANSFORMED”
- 2020 – “CONSISTENCY”
- 2021 – “ABIDE IN THE LORD FOR BREAKTHROUGH”
★ Thought for the Day – Who Are You Imitating? ★
Check out this awesome message called “The Seven Churches of Revelation – Week 4 – “Resist the Enemy” by Robert Morris. This is about the church of Thyatira and is one of the greatest sermons I have ever heard on spiritual warfare. He shared this on what are some signs that I’m being attacked?
- Fear
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Sickness
- Immorality
- Insecurity
- Rehearsing Your Speech
Daily Dependence 